A Lagos Federal High Court, has granted post-conviction bail to a drug trafficker, Carr Bismark, who was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for trafficking in 889 grams of cocaine.
Carr Bismark also bears Ogbonna Charles Freeman, who holds Sierra Leone international passport, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment on July 1, 2024, by justice Deinde I. Dipeolu, after he pleaded guilty to a count charge of trafficking in the prohibited substance, made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Justice Dipeolu, however, admitted bail to the convict pending appeal, after taken arguments on the application filed by his lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara but moved by Dennis Warri, and the preliminary objection filed by the prosecuting agency, NDLEA.
Ruling on the application, Justice Dipeolu, after perusing all the processes filed read through all the plethoras of authorites cited, admitted bail to the convicted drug trafficker in the sum of N100 million with two sureties in like sum and other stringent conditions.
The convicted drug trafficker, Carr Bismark a.k.a. Ogbonna Charles Freeman, according to the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Ibrahim, was arrested with the prohibited drug, on March 31, 2024, at Screening 2 of the New Terminal, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to board Qatar Airways flight to India, via Doha, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He was subsequently arraigned before the court on July 1, on a count-charge of unlawful export of the banned drug.
The offence which contravened section 20(1)(a) of the NDLEA Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of 2004 and punishable under section 20(2)(a) of the same Act.
The convict, on his arraignment pleaded guilty to the charge, he was then convicted as charges.
Based on the convicted drug trafficker’s plea, the prosecutor, reviewed the facts of the charge, as well tendered all the exhibits in the matter from the Bar.
Upon reviewing the facts of the charge and tendering of the exhibits, which were admitted by the court, the prosecutor urged the court to sentence him in accordance to the section of the NDLEA Act he was charged with.
But his lawyer, Dennis Warri, in his allucutor, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.
The lawyer, citing plethoras of authorites in support of his allocator and urged the judge to use his discretion and grant his client a non-custodian sentence or an option of fine in lieu of the jail-term.
But Justice Dipeolu, after hearing the prosecutor, that the section of the NDLEA Act which the convict was charged with is life imprisonment, sentenced Carr Bismark a.k.a Ogbonna Charles Freeman, to 25 years imprisonment without fine option.
The charge against rhe Convict reads: “that you Carr Bismark a.k.a. Ogbonna Charles Freeman, male, adult on or about the 31st March 2024 during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight to India, via Doha, United Arab Emirates at Screening 2 of the New Terminal, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos, without lawful authority exported 889 grams of Cocaine, a narcotic drug and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 20 (1) (a) and punishable under section 20 (2) (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
